Cottage food law opens doors for start-up baking businesses

Audrie Palmer

Published 8:10 am, Tuesday, February 14, 2012

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Jacqueline Johnson is the owner of "Sweet Creations by Jacqueline" a cake and cupcake baking business. Johnson's business is operated out of her home and the new Texas cottage food law will allow small bakeries, like hers, to bake from their homes without needing special health permits. Cindeka Nealy/Reporter-Telegram less

Jacqueline Johnson is the owner of "Sweet Creations by Jacqueline" a cake and cupcake baking business. Johnson's business is operated out of her home and the new Texas cottage food law will allow small ... more

Photo: Cindeka Nealy

Cottage food law opens doors for start-up baking businesses

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When Jacqueline Johnson had her daughter last year, she decided not to go back to work as a medical assistant and instead wanted to open up her own home bakery.

From there, Sweet Creations by Jacqueline was born.

Because of a bill signed into law June 17, 2011 by Gov. Rick Perry, Johnson is able to follow her dream and make her baking business a reality.

Senate Bill 81, known as the cottage food law, went into effect Sept. 1, 2011.

In the past, it was illegal to run a food establishment from one's home kitchen. But the passing of the law has inspired bakers like Johnson to follow their dreams and start their own businesses.

There are 23 states that have passed a Cottage Food Law. Last year alone, Texas was among five other states -- Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, South Dakota and Washington -- that now made home bakeries legal.

So far in 2012, officials in New Jersey, Colorado, South Carolina and New Hampshire have introduced similar bills.

The law prohibits local health department officials from regulating home bakeries and does not require home kitchen inspections, making it easier for local cooks and bakers to get their businesses off the ground.

The first cake Johnson made was for her father's birthday last year.

"He used to always make one for us, so the first cake I did was for him," she said.

Because her dad likes to fish, she created a fisherman's dream cake complete with a river.

Her favorite creation so far is the first birthday cake she made for her daughter with a Minnie Mouse theme. She's spent up to six hours decorating a cake before, she said. The most difficult one was a Handy Manny birthday cake for a child for which she crafted all the characters by hand.

The Idaho-native moved to Midland a few months ago for her husband's job and by word of mouth, her business has started to grow.

She averages about one cake every other week for customers, she said.

Johnson is inspired by what her clients want for a cake and works from pictures or ideas they share with her once they place an order.

"I just wait for the customer to come to me and then we bounce off ideas from that," she said.

Self-taught, Johnson said she's always loved arts and crafts and the creativity from that has come naturally as she's learned to decorate cakes.

Her grandfather works for a bakery in Idaho and has made all her family's wedding cakes.

Making wedding cakes is something Johnson said she would like to get into as well.

"They're gorgeous. It's such a special time for the bride and to add to the a fun day," she said.

She finds her recipes in cookbooks. With a lot of trial and error, Johnson said she makes her own homemade fondant she uses in many of her decorations.

She plans to continue her hobby-turned-business and even has started experimenting in using Rice Krispies in decorations.